Thursday, 22 December 2016

''Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...''

Well pondered Prunella, that was not strictly true. She was reading her favourite Christmas Poem out loud to her best buddy Griff.

She knew that Christmas eve was one of Santa Mouse's busiest nights delivering gifts to all of God's wondrous woodland creatures big and small.

Set deep in the foundations of Father Christmas's workshop in the North Pole lives Santa Mouse a tall jolly mouse with bright red ears and a happy squeaky voice. Under Father Christmas's large workshop, are the warren of tiny tunnels that Santa Mouse shares with his close mice family and friends.

All through the year they busily create and craft precious presents made from the left over wood thrown on a huge wood pile by Father Christmas's elves. The discarded wood is used to fuel the large roaring fire burning bright in Father Christmas's homely workshop above. It keeps all who live at the North Pole cosy and warm.

Last year Prunella had received a beautifully wrapped gift topped with a tartan bow from Santa Mouse. To her delight, unwrapping revealed a pretty pale pink birdhouse decorated with a delicate butterfly. It now has pride of place on her new fence at the bottom of her garden.

Prunella's friend Bertram is one of the ten bats who pull Santa Mouse's sleigh silently through the starlit and moonlit night sky high above. The other nine bats are Bertram's cousins, Borace, Beatrix, Benny, Bernadette, Baldric, Bertha, Berthold, Belinda and Barclay.

Just like Father Christmas, Santa Mouse has a naughty and nice list. On his nice list every creature had been exceptionally good this year. There was sadly one name on his naughty list and unfortunately the same name appears year after year without fail, Wendy the wicked Witch of Wessex. Even though she had been particularly evil, Santa Mouse could not forget her, so for Wendy he wrapped some cooled wooden embers from the roaring fire above. They were everlasting magical embers and would only burn bright for good. If Wendy tried using them in mischief to heat her cauldron for a nasty potion they would remain cold and black, her fire would remain unlit.

For Bertram's friend Willamina the Wise Witch from Ballymena Santa Mouse had crafted a wooden spoon with a small heart hand cut into it's centre to stir her magical potions for good. He also included a matching wooden chopping board to use when chopping her herbs.

Prunella's gift will remain a surprise.❤As Prunella
settles down in her comfortable trug bed her stocking hung in the
chimney opening she wonders what delights will come her way on Christmas
day.

Prunella Pepperpot wishes you all a wonderful Christmas and may your life be filled with joy and happiness, may each new day bring you moments to cherish.

Until the next time in 2017, stay safe, happy and healthy.

Hugs to all.

Thank you kindly for your visit and we dearly appreciate your comments.

We hope you had as much fun reading Prunella's Blog as we had writing it.

Sunday, 23 October 2016

Halloween is the season for little ghosts, ghouls and goblins to take to the streets in our neighbourhoods.Prunella wonders what creepy potions have been cooked up in this 500 year old cauldron in the warming room at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire...

Now for Prunella's 2016 Halloween Tale...

Have a Heart this Halloween...

It was a chillyOctober's day in Potters Down, bright but a little breezy. Prunella Pepperpot was gathering thecolourful Autumn leaves littering her lawn when she noticed Willamina's broom abandonedin amongst the branches of her lilac bush...

Every October Willamina the Wise Witch from Ballymena would roam in Prunella's patch collecting ingredients for her magical potions to ward off evil spirits and undo unfortunate spells cast by her evil nemesis Wendy the Wicked Witch of Wessex.

Prunella knew that wherever Willamina wandered Bertram Bat would be close at hand.

Prunella rushed inside to gather some juicy grapes a favourite of Bertrams' being that he was a fruit bat.

It wasn't long before Prunella spotted Bertram sat on a pumpkin left for Prunella as a magical Halloween gift from Willamina.

The two friends hugged. Bertram delighted by the juicy grapes tucked in heartily.

He had so much to tell little Prunella. How Willamina worked her fingers to the bone wielding her wand intricately woven together fromoak and apple branches and kept supple by rosemary oil, chanting spells and concocting potions made from roots, herbs and spices.

Bertram squeaked,

"Dear Prunella Pepperpot,

to protect your frog friends from Wendy the Wicked witch this year, Willamina the Wise has hand crafted a safe house which is tucked away amidst your shrubbery.

Sadly frogs legs are a key ingredient in wicked Wendy's venomous potion this year. So much so that gardens have seen a sharp decline in their frog numbers."

Prunella gasped, she was saddened by this gruesome news. Her precious frog friends were dear to her heart and she couldn't bear to think of them being used in Wendy's vile potions of doom.

Bertram went on to tell Prunella of Wendy's wickedly wacky deeds the previous Halloween.

How Wendy had turned Sally Squirrel and Farmer Brown's Mrs Brown Bunny to wood. It took all of Willamina's wit to undo these dastardly deeds.

Bertram requested that Prunella carves her magical pumpkin with love this year. The soft flickering light would help comfort and protect all of Prunella's garden critters through the dark gruesome nights to come.

Prunella watched as Bertram fluttered off.

She carried her small, astonishingly light magical pumpkin indoors.

Now how to carve some love into this wondrous pumpkin pondered Prunella...

Until the next time,

stay safe this Halloween.

Hugs to all.

xXx

Thank you kindly for your visit and we dearly appreciate your comments.

We hope you had as much fun reading Prunella's Blog as we had writing it.

Wednesday, 5 October 2016

It was a beautiful sunny day in October. On days like thesePrunella loves nothing more than to be out and about enjoying the sights and sounds of nature...

She spotted this cute little chappy scratching around in search of a small morsel for his rumbling tum...

In the bushes was Robin Redbreast singingsuch a beautiful song.Prunella thought he was looking particularly handsome today with not a feather out of place...

Just at that moment in time a shower of acorns fell upon poor Prunella.When she hadregained her composure shelooked up and there was Sally Squirrel sitting high on a branch in the old oak tree devouring a small acorn...

Prunella has a passion for flowers and fortunately at this time of year there are still plenty of beautiful flowers to be admired. Some gorgeous cyclamen growing in the shade of a horse chestnut tree...

Flowers and foliage in rich autumnal shades..

The vibrant orange coloured flowers remind Prunella that it is almost time to find herself a Halloween Pumpkin...

Perhaps if she speaks nicely to the local Head Gardener and his faithful companion they will save a very special pumpkin just for her...

Prunella wishes everyone a fabulous October...

Until the next time,

stay safe, happy and healthy.

Hugs to all.

xXx

Thank you kindly for your visit and we dearly appreciate your comments.

We hope you had as much fun reading Prunella's Blog as we had writing it.